100 THE ART OF TAMING HORSES. 



the side of a gentle horse, and go through the same pro- 

 cess that you did with the balking horse. Always use a 

 bridle without blinkers when you are breaking a horse to 

 harness. 



"Lead him to and around a light gig or phaeton; 

 let him look at it, touch it with his nose, and stand 

 by it till he does not care for it; then pull the 

 shafts a little to the left, and stand your horse in 

 front of the off-wheel. Let some one stand on the 

 right side of the horse, and hold him by the bit, 

 while you stand on the left side, facing the sulky. 

 This will keep him straight. Run your left hand back, 

 and let it rest on his hip, and lay hold of the shafts with 

 your right, bringing them up very gently to the left 

 hand, which still remains stationary. Do not let any- 

 thing but your arm touch his back, and as soon as you 

 have the shafts square over him, let the person on the 

 opposite side take hold of one of them, and lower them 

 very gently to the shaft-bearers. Be very slow and de- 

 liberate about hitching ; the longer time you take the 

 better, as a general thing. When you have the shafts 

 placed, shake them slightly, so that he will feel them 

 against each side. As soon as he will bear them without 

 scaring, fasten your braces, &c., and start him along veiy 

 slowly. Let one man lead the horse, to keep him gentle, 

 while the other gradually works back with the lines till 

 he can get behind and drive him. After you have driven 

 him in this way a short distance, you can get into the 

 sulky, and all will go right. It is veiy important to 

 have your horse go gently when you first hitch , him. 

 After you have walked him awhile, there is not half so 

 much danger of his scaring. Men do very wrong to 

 jump up behind a horse to drive him as soon as they 

 have him hitched. There are too many things for him 



